Help, Bandits Camp at Grazing Reserves, Forests in Plateau, Mutfwang Cries Out

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has raised the alarm over the alarming spread of banditry and land grabbing across the state, revealing that armed groups have taken over several grazing reserves and forest areas, displacing indigenous communities and threatening food security and peace in the region.

In series of recent statements and interviews, the governor disclosed that no fewer than 64 communities in Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom Local Government Areas have been forcefully taken over by bandits.

These assailants, according to Mutfwang, have renamed the villages and are now occupying fertile lands traditionally owned by Plateau natives.

“This is not just an isolated case of insecurity. It is a systematic and sponsored genocide aimed at grabbing land and displacing indigenous people,” Mutfwang said. “What we are seeing is a coordinated effort to take over some of the most agriculturally viable lands in Nigeria.”

The governor noted that the occupied areas include forests, farmlands, and grazing reserves, previously used by local farmers and herders.

He added that these locations were now being used as hideouts for criminals and bases for launching further attacks.

In response to the growing threat, the Plateau State Government has rolled out a number of security and socio-economic interventions, including suspension of mining activities. All mining operations have been halted across the state to curb illegal financing of criminal groups and to monitor environmental and security impacts.

Communities are being encouraged to return to cultural hunting activities, both as a security measure and a way to reoccupy the forests.

In collaboration with local farmers and security forces, the government is reclaiming and cultivating farmlands across the affected LGAs to support food production and assert land ownership.

Governor Mutfwang appealed to the federal government and international partners to recognize the urgent security and humanitarian crisis unfolding in Plateau. He also urged security agencies to intensify efforts to dislodge the occupiers and enable the safe return of displaced residents.

“This is not just a Plateau problem. It is a national challenge. If we allow impunity to thrive, we risk losing more than just land we risk losing our heritage,” he said.

The situation in Plateau underscores growing concerns across Nigeria’s Middle Belt, where conflicts over land, identity, and security continue to fuel deadly violence.